Couple shot dead at Lungpha village, Ukhrul
Source: The Sangai Express / Addie Chiphang/

Ukhrul/Imphal, July 25 2011: A young couple was killed by some unidentified armed persons who came in full battle fatigues last night at Lungpha village, 53 kms away from Ukhrul police station.

Sources in Ukhrul police station informed that the incident occurred at around 10 pm.

The husband and the wife were sleeping along with their three children when four armed persons in full military fatigues broke into the house and opened fire randomly.

The two victims have been identified as Vareingam Mahonao Shimray, (36) s/o M Wungkhui Shimray and his wife Ngaherla Shimray (33), both from Lungpha Ato village, Ukhrul district.

Police source further reports that the two victims were cultivators having three children, the eldest being an 8 year old boy with two younger siblings, one girl and a boy just 6 and 4 years old.

Vareingam Mahonao Shimray was a church clerk of Lungpha Village and also member of Village Authority (VA) at the time of his death.

He used to deal with the village MGNREGS works.

He (victim) was also serving as a school teacher at Litan private school last year, the sources add.

After post mortem the corpse of the two victims were brought to their village the police added.

When the unidentified armed persons, suspected to be NSCN-IM cadres knocked at the door of Vareingam Mahonao Shimray, the couple hid inside their room without opening the door.

But the assailants broke down the door and opened fire indiscriminately.

While Vareingam Mahonao Shimray was shot dead beside his bed, his wife Ngaherla Shimray who attempted to keep the door closed against constant barging was killed at the door-step.

Both the victims bore several fatal bullet marks on different parts of their bodies including heads.

The armed assailants also opened fire at the house of Ngaherla Shimray's younger sister LC Rose (26) which is located just 50 metres away from the victims' house.

But no one was injured in the firing.

Police recovered seven spent bullets of AK rifle and three cartridges of 9 mm pistol.

Meanwhile, the Lungpha Village Authority has condemned the killing of the couple in the strongest term.

In a statement, the village authority asked the identity of the killers and the reason, if there is any, for the bestial crime.

A powerful bomb blast at the ADC office in Ukhrul had shattered the fragile peace some days back.

Comment